


Motion for Reconsideration

by flowerfan



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-29
Updated: 2016-05-29
Packaged: 2018-07-10 23:34:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7012873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowerfan/pseuds/flowerfan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Another take on the "where did Shitty go?" question.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Motion for Reconsideration

Turns out, Harvard Law School isn’t that bad. In fact… it’s kind of great.

Shitty had been prepared to drag through his three years kicking and screaming, doing everything he could to show his parents that what many believe is the most prestigious law school in the world isn’t really the best place for him – or anyone – to learn about the law and how to use it productively in society. But he’s reconsidering. 

If there is one thing Shitty is good at, it’s questioning his assumptions. This one is just going down a little harder than some, although his parents don’t need to know it quite yet.

First year classes are designed to give students a foundation in the basics – contracts, torts, property. Every day they are assigned a number of cases to read in each subject, with a prescribed way of taking notes that is supposed to prepare them to discuss the cases in class the next day. Sure, Shitty doesn’t really like to be told what to do, and the reading is dry as hell, but the class discussions? Where pretty much everyone has done the reading, and comes in ready to talk about it? They are pretty cool.

It’s even better when a week or two goes by and people begin to get into the rhythm of the classroom experience. Now instead of just parroting back what they read the night before, his classmates are starting to think harder about the issues, and speak their minds. Not everyone, of course – some people still seem to believe they are too cool for this (or maybe they’re just too intimidated) but most are engaged with the material and primed for action every day.

And it’s not just that they like to argue – and this would be enough, by itself, because let’s face it, Shitty is always up for a good debate – but these kids? They are wicked smart. Shitty even finds himself enjoying repeated discussions with one of the more conservative women in his property class (she’s not from a prep school, as he assumed, but from a public school in rural Texas) because even though her positions aren’t to his liking, she’s no slouch when it comes to backing them up. It’s like suicide sprints for his brain, and damn if it isn’t a lot of fun.

He looks around a study group one night and shakes his head at the sight – Legally Blonde wasn’t that far off, and in reality, having a fellow student whose family actually fled their home country due to political tensions makes for really great conversation. Samwell is a ‘swawesome place, no doubt, but HLS beats it hands down when it comes to some types of diversity. 

Shitty knows he isn’t keeping in touch with his Samwell bros as much as he had planned to, but he’s so busy he doesn’t let himself feel too guilty about it, at least at first. In addition to his classwork, there are a million other things to do – speakers from all over the globe, and student activities that are quite a bit more meaningful than (okay, don’t kill me here Jack, he thinks, please, but it’s true) sports. There are groups advocating for every issue on the planet, and when these guys go at it, they bring the weight of their intellect and the force of the school’s reputation to the game. Shitty tries to go to as many meetings as he can, to get a feel for what’s out there and where he wants to spend his time. Not every group is to his liking (he falls asleep during the first meeting of the Tax Law and Financial Regulation Students Association), but there’s a lot to think about.

He and Lardo keep in touch, of course, but she seems to have realized even before he did that he needs time and space to adjust to his new environment. They keep it light. He’s pretty sure that no one is ever going to replace Lardo, for him, but he can tell she isn’t going anywhere. They make plans to spend time together over winter break, and even though it is months away, it feels like the right decision.

Shitty is so wrapped up in his new life that he doesn’t spend nearly as much time missing Samwell as he thought he would. And when he realizes this, it’s with a pang of guilt, but also a deep sense of relief. He had been so convinced that he wouldn’t fit in at Harvard. And he hadn’t just been annoyed about having to spend three years with people he assumed would be assholes; he had been worried about making friends. But now those faceless HLS prep school douchebags have turned out to be kind of brilliant, interesting, thoughtful people. They are people he likes hanging out with – and, he thinks, they like hanging out with him. It’s a whole different ball game.

Shitty finally answers one of Bittle’s texts with a commitment to actually talk on the phone, and late that night, he tries to explain it. He’s stumbling over his words, trying not to offend him, when Bittle interrupts.

“Shitty,” he says, with that adorable Southern lilt in his voice, “stop. Goodness, it’s okay. You don’t need to apologize for being happy.”

Happy. He is happy, he thinks, smiling to himself in the dark of his dorm room. 

“But we might not believe it unless you come down here and tell us in person,” Bitty continues. “Otherwise we might have to conclude that you have turned into one of those Harvard snobs yourself.”

“Bittle, brah, how dare you?” Shitty exclaims. Bittle laughs, and it’s a good sound. Suddenly he realizes he does want to visit. He can go back to Samwell now and tell his friends how happy he is. Sure, they may chirp him for it, but they’ll be glad for him, too.

“I can come down next weekend, if you promise me pie.”

“Shitty, when has there ever not been pie? I’ll make that blueberry one you love, and apple with a maple crust for Jack.”

“Jack? Isn’t he kind of busy?” Shitty didn't really think that Jack's NHL job would allow for weekend trips to hang out at Samwell.

Bittle launches into a detailed description of Jack’s practice schedule and press events for the next week, commute time back and forth between Jack’s apartment and the Haus, and how the diet plan Jack worked out with the team’s nutritionist has room for occasional cheats focusing on pie. Shitty gets the feeling he’s missing something important. Maybe he needs to look at his former teammates in a new light. He’s definitely visiting now – no question. Harvard Law may be a lot of fun, but this – this could be fantastic.


End file.
